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Man Sues Hospital for Not Allowing Him to Take Pregnant Wife Off Life Support

John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth, Texas is being sued by a man named Erick Munoz for refusing to allow him to take his pregnant wife, Marlise Munoz, off life support.

Munoz says a doctor told him his wife is considered brain-dead and that his wife once made it clear to him that she would not want life support if ever faced with this situation, Fox News Latino reports.

But the hospital said a state law prohibits life-saving treatment from being denied to pregnant patients, while experts say JPS Hospital is incorrectly applying the terms of the law since Marlise Munoz would be considered legally and medically dead.

"Marlise Munoz is dead, and she gave clear instructions to her husband and family — Marlise was not to remain on any type of artificial 'life sustaining treatment', ventilators or the like," the lawsuit reads. "There is no reason JPS should be allowed to continue treatment on Marlise Munoz's dead body, and this Court should order JPS to immediately discontinue such."

In terms of the fetus, doctors say they have been monitoring it, but Munoz said he doesn't know how healthy the fetus will be given his wife's circumstances.